A scale assembly for weighing potentially hazardous materials comprise a
containment deck designed to support a container from which materials are
dispensed. The containment deck is preferably provided with sufficient
storage capacity to capture spillage or leaks from the container and is
supported on a low-profile platform supported in turn by load cells which
generate signals indicative of the weight of the contents of the
container and of any spillage within the containment deck. The
containment deck is further equipped with a level detector typically
positioned near the bottom of the deck for generating signals indicating
the presence of leakage or spillage from the container.